Suction holder for floral designs and the like



F. C. BRAUN Dec. 24, 1940.

SUCTION HOLDER FOR FLORAL, DESIGNS AND. THE LIKE Filed March I, 1938 INVENTOR FRANK C. BRA UN ATTORNEY. v

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 SUCTION HOLDER FOR FLORAL DESIGNS AND THE LIKE Frank 0. Braun, New York, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1938, Serial No. 193,240

1 Claim.

This invention relates to holding devices for use largely by florists, and more especially to suction holding methods and means for floral designs and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a wire frame that can be used in conjunction with suction cups, for the purpose of holding and displaying floral designs on show windows, caskets, tombstones, and the like.

Another object is to provide a wire holding device in which two wire portions are adapted to approach each other at their adjacent ends for the purpose of holding by friction a compressible suction cup.

Another object is to provide a suction cup with suitable means for permitting it to be readily attached to and detached from a holding frame of wire or other material.

A further object is to provide means for holding candles and copper lamps, as used for instance in Catholic cemeteries, to tombstones or the walls of mausoleums, in a readily attachable manner, utilizing the force of suction.

Finally, an object is to provide an ornamental candle-holding frame of wire or other material adapted to rest upon a flat surface and be held thereto from overturning by means of suction cups.

All these and other objects as suggested herebelow are attained by the methods and means now to be described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a preferred form of ornamental wire frame adapted to be held in suspended position on a substantially vertical surface by means of a suction cup, which is readily applied thereto and detached therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above of a floral wreath frame adapted to be held by suction cups to a flat surface, particularly for use in holding flower offerings to the top surface of a casket, in such manner as to prevent the same from sliding off when the casket is tilted.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a wire frame somewhat similar to the extended legs of the device of Fig. 2, but showing a somewhat side view of the suction cups positioned on a horizontal surface.

Fig. 4 is a wire frame containing a suction cup base and means for supporting candles in spaced position; the wire frame being of course adapted to support and be concealed by floral wreaths and sprays.

Like numerals refer tolike parts throughout the several views.

The device shown in Fig. 1 consists of a suction cup 20, preferably of rubber, and a wire frame 2| shaped somewhat as shown and having its upper portion include a wire loop section 2 la terminating in outwardly slanted end portions to permit the suction cup to be readily inserted in said loop and held therein by friction. Wire cross members 22 and 23 are attached to member 20 for the purpose of holding a flower wreath or spray, and the entire wire frame so constituted is adapted to be suspended to a vertical surface and held thereto by means of suction cup 20.

The suction cup used in the above device consists of a lower or base portion and an upper or button-like portion connected to the base portion by a narrow neck. This vacuum cup being made of resilient rubber is adapted to be forced along the wire portion 2m, and held thereto by the compression of the resilient rubber at the neck. When applying the suction cup to the surface it is sometimes desirable to first wet the engaging peripheral portion or apply a suitexerted toward said suction base todiminish the volume in the hollow space 20d of the suction cup and thus create a vacuum or suction which holds the cups to its surface in a well-known manner.

The device of Fig. 2 consists of a wreath frame 21 of rectangular'box-like shape built up of wire somewhat after the manner suggested in the drawing and this frame 21 has suction cups 20 affixed as feet to its lower surface for the purpose of holding it to a flat surface. While the illustration shows extended arms 28 connecting the frame 21 with the cups 20, it is of course understood that the cups may instead be aifixed by the parallel or near-parallel wires in the base of the frame itself.

The device shown in Fig. 3 comprises a wire frame member 33 shaped somewhat as shown and terminating at its lower spaced ends in suitable loops in which the button like suction cups 20, 20 are adapted to be held. Frame 33 may be covered with moss or a wreath or flower sprays as a decoration to a flat surface such as a table or casket top and the suction cups will hold the wreath in position and against sliding in case, for instance, the device is used on a casket which is tipped as when carrying it up and down stairs. The device shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 3 comprising an arched wire frame 33 and suction cups 20, 20, but instead of being adapted to support a wreath, for instance, it is able adhesive thereto and downward pressure is arranged to support spaced candles 39 by suitable cross supports (not shown) on frame 33.

All of these various modifications of the invention are of considerable practical importance in the florist trade.

As a new article of decortaion hurricane lamps or candles may be combined with a flower table decoration by means of the device shown for instance in Fig. 4 since the frame may be adapted to support the flower decoration and in place of the candles could be placed the hurricane lamps.

An important advantage of this invention is in preventing floral offerings such as Wreathsat funerals from sliding ofi the top of a casket when the same is brought into or taken out of a church, or otherwise up and down stairs which requires the casket to be slanted temporarily.

Suction cups may be applied to any smooth surface in a way which will hold the cup and what is heldto the cup to said surface for an almost indefinite period through the sole action of suction; but where even greater security is desired the suction cup may be used in conjunction with an adhesive, such as shellac or glue. Other advantages include not scratching the fine surfaces of caskets, pews, tables, and the like when wreath frames are positioned thereon, since the suction cup being of rubber cannot damage such surfaces.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

In combination, a wire holder for flowers and the like, and means for holding said holder to a non-horizontal surface, said means including a plurality of separate suction cups and wedgeshaped loop-terminating wire members attached to said holder, each said cup having a circular groove in its holding end and being removably fixed in a pre-determined position at one side of the holder by inserting same in frictional resilient engagement in the said wedge-shaped loop of said wire members.

FRANK C. BRAUN. 

